Derby County Women fell to a 2-0 defeat to local rivals Nottingham Forest in front of a record crowd at Pride Park Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Ewe Rams welcomed 5,243 fans to Pride Park, beating the record set in the reverse fixture when 5,082 supporters visited the City Ground back in October 2022.
Goals in both halves by Charlotte Steggles and Charlotte Greengrass saw Forest leave with all three points, with a lack of chances coming for Derby throughout.
The Ewe Rams made a bright start to the game as Becky McGrother set up Emelia Wilson in the opening minute, but her looping effort was comfortably caught by Emily Batty.
Wilson had another chance just minutes later, as her powerful curling effort forced Batty into another save.
The league’s top-scorer, Greengrass would have added to her tally but for some last ditch defending by Sarah Jackson to clear her goal-bound effort.
Imogen Maguire was called into action in the 19th minute as she acrobatically pushed away Niamh Reynolds’ attempt on goal.
Three minutes later, an excellent sliding block by Emily Joyce to get back from her midfield position, denied Greengrass after she rounded Maguire.
Forest took the lead in the 30th minute as a powerful corner was whipped in by captain Lyndsey Harkin, which was met by Steggles to head past Maguire in the Derby goal.
Greengrass added a second for Forest on the hour mark, her effort lashed into the back of Maguire’s net from the edge of the area.
In the 68th minute Steggles tried her luck from range, but Maguire was equal to the effort which lacked any real power.
Another excellent save by Maguire to tip the ball over the bar and deny Greengrass her second of the game.
Substitute Mai Moncaster almost added a third for Forest in the 80th minute, but she dragged her effort wide of the onrushing Maguire’s goal.
Despite the lack of chances for Derby in the second-half, Amy Sims tried to change the Ewe Rams’ fortunes, but her effort from range went sailing over the bar.
Sims almost got a late goal to give the Ewe Rams some hope in the dying embers of the game, but her effort went agonisingly wide of the far-post.
Derby will look to bounce-back following back-to-back defeats for the first time this year when they face Brighouse Town on Sunday 2nd April at Mickleover FC’s Don Amott Arena (2pm kick-off).
Derby County Women: Maguire (GK), Sims, Jackson, Hilliard (Clarkson 60), Wilson, Joyce, Ward (C) (Rhodes-Andrews 82), McGrother, Rai, Camwell (Gaspar 70), Sutherland (Jenkins 45).
Substitutes Not Used: Morgan (GK).